1966 VW vert on Fantomworks

[Digger89L]

Just recently watched a May, 2017 program of Fantomworks, where they re-did a 62 Maserati, and a 1966 VW Beetle Vert Bahama Blue.
According to the program, the VW had been restored a couple of times before, and didn't need any engine, transmission, suspension, or floorpan work ...and no rust repair. They originally quoted the owner a figure in the $60,000 range, and ended up charging them $47,000 ....for a 'very nice driver' restoration of the paint and interior. By no means a 'museum quality' job.
Is this a real 'marketplace number'? Are shops really charging this much for essentially a new paintjob and interior? WOW !!!
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"If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."

[carcrazed]

These shows are absolutely made up. Granted, Fantomworks might do great work and charge high prices, but the 66 is in NO WAY worth what they put into it. I was involved with production on one of the velocity shows a few years back (I will leave the name out, but they all work the same). Everything was made up and designed for drama and television. I could go into a LONG description of just how fake it was, but I will leave it as "not real at all". Always remember...normally you NEVER get out of a car what you put into it.
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1965 Herbie Replica. 1776cc dual Kads.
1961 Beetle 33,000 Original Miles

"Just When you think you are getting ahead, you're always wrong."

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

Fake news..

TV = to entertain..... made you watch..

In reality The saying... fools and their money are soon parted. . is true..

If you have the money.. no mechanical skills, no time.. want it now.. pay up..
If you have the time, skills, and no money. work hard and save up.

With any restoration....shops can set a price to whatever they want...
Most will price it so high with hopes.. it moves on.. or.. someone pays up...
Its like gambling..


I could build 4 to 5 nice convertible drivers for that kind of money..



.
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aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited

[planenut]

I always say that there's nothing real about a reality show. Some of the car shows are so fake, I can't, and don't, watch them. The best one I used to watch, and I forgot the name, was the one that did one car each season. That way, you got to see almost every step, and how they did it. You can watch this stuff now, and tell that the situations are scripted and fake. UUGGGHHH!!

[Helfen]

[cyclehobby]

I agree. These TV car shows make me laugh because everything has this made up, unrealistic due date. I have to say if I was spending the money to build some of these cars, rushing to get it done is not the way to go. Yes, I'd want the time put into it, but take the time to do it right would be my goal.

Fantom Works is one of those car shows that can be good at times and can be ultra unrealistic at other times. Yes, when I heard what they charged to do that Bahama Blue Vert, I almost died. Keeping in mind that:

a) Fantom Works may be a car restoration place, but I can name 5 other places that specialize in VWs/Bugs that I'd go to instead.
b) The resto they did appeared to be OK, but they painted the trunk area and inner fender areas flat black. Huh??? Not right.
c) The interior work they did was OK, too, but not factory or custom enough to warrant so high a cost.

Overall, I like to see VWs and Bugs show up on these shows, but I've yet to see a show restore one accurately and show the detail that confirms they knew what they were doing.

I have an idea. Let's create our own Velocity VW resto or custom TV show concept and pitch it to the network. Even without the fake drama, I think many people would watch - even those non-crazy, normal (not VW) people...!!
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1967 Beetle
Northern NJ

[rcooled]

[Digger89L]

Thanks for all the input, guys. Yes... I'd have to agree: not 'real' reality TV. I was only attracted to this particular Fantomworks show because they were doing the 66 vert. I gave up on most of these shows years ago for the simple fact of all the fake drama on them ...guys arguing and fighting with each other, etc. Not enjoyable to watch that sort of thing when you're only interested in what they're doing with the car project. Talk about 'fake': a few years back, one of these shows (it has the word Guild in the name) had a guy with NO automotive experience (but lots of pipeline welding experience!!!) doing all the welding on the building of Bugatti replica. Good grief!
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"If you can't fix it with pop rivets, crazy glue and duct tape, or hold it together with zip ties, velcro or magnets, it REALLY is broken."

[raycer60]

Agreed with all the comments above.

Fantomworks is one that I won't watch because the main character guy always makes big drama and has to point out what is wrong with the project vehicle as if he knows it all.

I currently like to watch Iron Resurrection and Texas Metal. A little more "real" to me and the fact that I have been to both shops does help.

Yeah, $47k can build a few nice bugs!
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59 De Luxe Sedan with grafted ragtop

[[email protected]]

I didn't see the episode, but I will agree that a lot of the "restoration shop" shows mislead about somethings for entertainment purposes. You guys are a bit of out touch with reality when it comes to an actual restoration shops labor rates though.

Although $47k is a little high for a "driver", it isn't that far out of line for a job with a Concours paint job with straight precisely aligned panels, and a full redo of the interior.

Consider your average "good" paint job may have $2500 in paint/materials, or a Concours job, possibly $5000. You may be able to get by with a $1000 in materials for a plain lessor/common interior, but a top level interior from someone like West Coast has their materials listed for $2200+ for a stock 66 interior. Sure materials may be cheaper for a "custom" interior, but how custom may actually create more labor. So, take your $47k, and subtract either $3500, or $7200, and you get $43.5k/$39.8k. With actual restoration shops having labor rates around the $100 an hour range, that gives you 435/398 hours. So, say 400 hours to round it off. That's 10, 40 hour weeks with one individual working on the car. Two individuals, 5 weeks.

So the car in question had a full paint job, and full interior redo? How many that have commented in this post have COMPLETELY disassembled a vehicle to repaint it, stripped it to bare metal, did the necessary body work, and painted it? How many have stripped an interior to the bare seat frames, and body sheet metal, installed padding/seat covers, carpet, and headliner? For those that have, how long did it take you? Did your finished product win any high end awards, or simply garnish a "hey that's a nice car" at the local cruise?

Regardless of whether you are restoring a Civic, or a Ferrari, labor rates of a job don't care how much the final car is worth. "I could build" instances don't count ANY of their labor as cost, which is as much as 75% of the total cost of a paid job. So those saying I could build 3 cars for $47k, great, you have 3 cars in which you roughly have $15K invested in parts materials. In all actuality, your $15k in parts represents an additional $45k in labor if 100% of the job was done by a paid shop.

[Sharp64]

[rcroane]

Was watching an episode of this show tonight featuring an Opel. It has a Pierburg fuel pump. One of the mechanics was doing a final check and noticed oil seeping from the top of the pump (around the diaphragm). Dan, the owner of the shop told him the German's designed it that way...it's supposed to seep oil to prevent damage to the car.

Huh?
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'65 Sunroof Bug

[KTPhil]

Rerun today, and I noticed a few things wrong. As they drive away, you can see they hooked up the brake wires to the turn signals (top of split lens). The shell paint scheme in wrong. As they drive off the husband manetinos "36 horsepower" and of course this would have started out as a 50 HP 1300, and is almost certainly larger/more powerful now.

Minor nits, yes. But easy to catch if they cared.